Precog
by Abigor
Summary: The incident with the Entity has some consequences that nobody (cough) could have seen...
1. chapter one

**Title:** Precog

**Author:** Abigor

**Spoilers:** lots for entity, tiddly one for legacy and ITLOD, and probably a few others that I can't remember.

**Rating: **PG-ish

Email: **Shunt511@aol.com**

**Authors Notes: **Please, please, read and review, cos this is the first attempt at a story that I've posted. Even flames will be appreciated, since at least they show somebody has read the story. Even if they did think it was crap. And thank you to my friend Catherine for reading through the first couple of pages for me, even if I did have to spend more time just explaining what was going on since she doesn't even watch the show. And these notes are going on way to long, so I'll shut up now.****

Precog

'Very good SG1, you have a go, be ready to leave for P4X 735 tomorrow at 0900. Dismissed' General Hammond intoned before heading for his office, no doubt to fill out some of the copious paperwork that the SGC seemed to acquire. While the other members of SG1 started to rise, to prepare for the mission, Daniel noticed Sam remained sitting. Her face was pallid and her eyes slightly unfocused. He wondered if she had actually heard any of the meeting at all.

'Major, you with us?'

'Huh?' Daniel watched as Sam's head jerked up in response to Jack's voice.

'Debriefings over. You planning on moving?'

She mumbled apologetically as she gathered up the mission notes and then hurried out of the room. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged looks, as her back disappeared from view. When Daniel turned around, Jack had a troubled expression on his face.

'It's too early, she shouldn't be going out in the field yet'. Jack had already, noisily, made his view quite clear to the General earlier, before the debriefing.

'Doctor Fraiser has assessed that Major Carter's health is satisfactory'. Jack glared at the Jaffa, who in return raised a customary eyebrow. 'You do not trust Doctor Fraiser's judgement?'

Jack carried on glaring at him, as together the three male members of SG1 left the briefing room and headed in the direction of Daniel's lab. Although he wasn't as vocal about it, Daniel did share Jack's view; two weeks was not long enough to get over your body being possessed (again) by another life form and then being downloaded into a computer mainframe.

But he did wonder whether part of Jack's protectiveness was actually guilt; after all, he had effectively killed Sam. And then there was the fact that Jack was a master at guilt.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

As Sam left the briefing room she couldn't dissipate the feeling of dread that had slowly accumulated in her stomach as the debriefing had progressed. Unwilling to say anything she just hoped that everybody else blamed her reticence on the...incident, rather than the mind numbing fear that jumped to her mind every time P4X 735 was mentioned.

It was stupid. It was a milk run, an easy recon on an uninhabited, undisturbed planet that would usually be given to one of the other teams, rather than the SGC's elite flagship team.

But even though she kept telling herself this, she couldn't shake the feeling that it would be disastrous. Her teammates were worried about her, she knew that, but what could she say; hey, I have a bad feeling about this, can we just not go? That would definitely get her straight back into the infirmary, a place she had spent too long at recently, or worse another trip to Doctor Mackenzie.

As she entered her quarters Sam mentally shook herself; she must be just nervous, some subconscious thing about not wanting to have her body taken over. Again. Surprisingly. 

Sighing internally, she lowered her self onto the thin, lumpy mattress and started to undo the laces on her boots. Janet had 'encouraged' (well, ok, ordered) her to take more rest and not to exert herself. Not that she would actually sleep much. That had been another thing she had been keeping from her teammates since the 'incident'. She had promised them that she was sleeping, after initially, not allowing herself to for almost 48 hours after being 'downloaded' back into her body.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

SG1 stepped out of the wormhole and into... fog. Lots of fog. It was a deep, clammy mist, which was so thick Sam could barely see in front of herself, let alone the rest of her team. While the Colonel grumbled about the MALPs incapability's to correctly tell them a planet's weather, they cautiously made their way off of the Stargate's dais.

'Jack, it might be better if we all hold onto each other' Sam heard Daniel's voice venture out from the gloom.

'What is this? A school field trip now?'

'No, but we don't want to wonder off and into... something' Daniel argued, while Sam carried on cautiously forward. It was disorientating to say the least.

'Aagh!' She grunted as she hit a hard object with her leg.

'Like that.' finished Daniel

'Carter, you ok?' The Colonel worriedly asked as Sam felt the object she had just walked into.

'Yeah. On the upside I found the DHD...' she started, trailing off when she heard an audible click from close by. She instantly recognised it, as did the rest of the team.

'Everybody get down!' yelled the Colonel, but it was too late. Sam could vaguely see blurs of light energy through the cloying mist, but she could hear in acute detail as three of them hit flesh. She started to crawl over to where she had last heard the Colonel. She could feel the damp grass and muddy earth on her fingers before she bumped into something warm. She immediately started to shake the body, when aghast, she lifted her trembling hands off the body. Even though she couldn't see it, she could clearly feel the blood clinging to her skin.

'No.' she whispered, while she felt towards where she thought his face would be. Her hands froze when she felt the glasses. 'No, Daniel'. She could feel tears starting to build up in her eyes, and then throwing caution to the wind she yelled out, 'Colonel! Teal'c! Sir!'

Her heart felt numbed when there was no reply from her teammates. However there was a reply from behind her, when a staff weapon fired one last shot, hitting her squarely in the back. She could feel the agonising pain starting spread and consume her and then she began to fall forward onto Daniel's corpse...


	2. duh...chapter two

Chapter 2 

...When Samantha Carter sat bolt upright in bed. Her breathing was hard and she had sweat dripping down her forehead. She had no idea what had just woken her. Although she would lay her bets that it had something to do with the escapades with the computer, two weeks ago. It had taken her over a week to pluck up her courage to even touch a computer again, and she still wasn't using her laptop as much as usual.

Sam groaned as she slowly pushed herself off the bed and made her way towards the sink. She pushed some of her hair out of her eyes and then splashed water onto her already waxen features. Her eyes were bloodshot and had huge bags under them, from lack of sleep. She would be the first to admit she wasn't at her best.

Looking at her watch as she wandered back towards her bunk, Sam realised there was no point to even try to rest now. Sighing she put her boots back on and left her quarters to go to -slowly- start to get ready for the mission to P4X 735.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

'Chevron seven locked. Wormhole engaged.'

Jack wasn't listening as the technician's monotone voice blared over the loudspeakers into the gate room. Instead his attention was fixed on the blank expression on his 2IC's face. It hadn't passed his notice (or anyone else's either) that she had been quieter than normal.

'SG1, you have a go. Make contact in 24 hours.'

He mentally berated himself. Was it any surprise she was quieter than normal? He was just glad she hadn't gone catatonic again, like with Jolinar. That had really scared him; to see her, usually bright, eyes completely void of life. What had scared him this time was how easily he had just squeezed that trigger and ended her life. If that entity hadn't put her into the computer...

'O'Neill, is there something bothering you?' Teal'cs deep melodic words broke Jack's reverie and he noticed that Carter and Daniel had already stepped through the wormhole.

'No, nothing wrong' said Jack, as casually as he could, while he started to stride up the ramp. Teal'c looked at him sceptically, before following up towards the event horizon.

Jack stepped out of the cold of the wormhole and into... fog. Lots of fog. It was a deep, clammy mist, which was so thick that Jack could barely see in front of himself, let alone the rest of his team. 

'Carter, I thought the MALPs were supposed to give us an accurate outline of what the weather was like on a planet.' While Jack knew there was nothing that could have helped it, he carried on grumbling, mostly out of habit, as they cautiously made their way off of the Stargate's dais.

'Jack, it might be better if we all hold onto each other' Jack heard Daniel's voice venture out from the gloom.

'What is this? A school field trip now?' Jack replied sarcastically, missing a short gasp from Sam

'No, but we don't want to wonder off and into... something' Jack growled under his breath, not at Daniel's idea, but the fact he should have suggested it. What sort of commander was he? One who'd shoot his own second in command a little voice in his head murmured. 

Suddenly he heard a sharp intake of breath and a feminine grunt. Looking around wildly in the cloying mist for the source of the sound, he tried to stem his panic.

'Like that.' finished Daniel. Jack threw Daniel a dirty look. At least he threw it in the direction he assumed Daniel was in, through the fog. It was disorientating to say the least.

'Carter, you ok?' He asked worriedly.

'Yeah. On the upside I... Oh my god'. Jack was about to ask her what was wrong when he heard the familiar sound of chevrons starting to lock on the Stargate.

'Carter, what the hell is going on?' as he heard another sound. An audible click from close by. He instantly recognised it.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

What!?! You thought I would just massacre our favourite team in the first chapter! (although later ones are anyone's game). And yes I do know that was a cop out way of unmassacre-ing them.


	3. chapter three

Chapter 3 

As soon as Sam stepped through the wormhole, the knot of worry in her exploded into a sense of... deja vu once she stepped through the wormhole into the thick mist. She looked around in a panic, trying to see what it was that was so familiar about a place she KNEW she couldn't have been to before.

It wasn't until she heard the other's banter that she remembered with a gasp the dream. The details were still fuzzy though and how could she have dreamed about a new location anyway? 

Sam carried on down the dais when she hit a hard object with her leg. Swearing mentally she started to answer the Colonels concerned query, trailing off when she suddenly remembered her dream in complete detail. Every detail. Pressing down her emotions she kept one hand on the DHD as she walked round the stone pedestal. From memory, desperately hoping that she was punching the right symbols, Sam began to dial what she thought was Earth. Trying to block the memory of Daniel's blood on her hands from her mind. 

'Carter, what the hell is going on?' The Colonel's query rang out, both baffled and reprimanding. Sam ignored him as she ran her fingers over each of the symbols, trying to picture them in her mind while she looked for the unfamiliar point of origin. Just as she punched down on what she thought it was, an audible click sounded from close by.

At the same moment the wormhole bloomed into action.

'Sir, please, we have to go NOW!' she shrieked, a note of desperation in her voice. She would not let that happen again. Daniel's blood on her hands...

In the slight gap in the fog caused by the gate's vortex, Sam noticed the others start to run up the steps. Hurriedly she punched in the GDO code and then raced up after them, just as the first staff blasts began to pepper the ground around her. She felt the back lashed loose earth and rocks on the backs of her calves and the staff blasts were so close the heat seemed to burn her.

Hopeful that the rest of her team had already left she threw herself into the event horizon, tucking into an untidy roll as she left the wormhole into the Gate Room.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

Although he showed no outward sign of it, Teal'c inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as Major Carter rolled down the ramp. He was puzzled as to how she had known to dial out before he had first heard what had almost certainly been Jaffa. Even with his sharpened senses he had heard no sign of an enemy lying in ambush.

Wordlessly he offered a white Sam his hand to help her off of the floor, slightly inclining his head at her word of thanks. He offered his hand in again in support as she stumbled, the backs of her BDU's shredded, with cuts and bruises obviously visible beneath.

'Thanks Sam. How did you know there were Jaffa there?' Daniel's inquiring tone rang through the gateroom, while Teal'c felt her stiffen, almost imperceptibly.

'Jaffa? SG1 why are you back so soon?' The General commanded over the loudspeakers, puzzlement clear in his expression from up in the control room. Teal'c watched out of the corner of his eye Sam, who blanched slightly when Daniel told the General exuberantly about what had occurred on the planet. Once he had finished the General turned an expectant eye to the Major, who seemed to pale even more.

'Oh, well I heard one of them with his... his... staffweapon, so I thought it best to dial out immediately' she stuttered. Teal'c noticed how she avoided eye contact while she gave her reply, and was averting her gaze from Colonel O'Neill, who although, for once, was unusually quiet, was regarding her with a bizarre look on his face, while he handed his weapons over to the sergeant.

'SG1 we'll debrief in 30 minutes.'

'Major Carter, I do believe it would be beneficial for Doctor Fraiser to administer your wounds' intoned Teal'c, the worried undertone of his words clear only to the few who knew him well.

'Yeah, Carter go get those checked out. We'll meet you after post-gate' At the Colonels words, Sam simply nodded and practically ran from the room, to leave the rest of the team watching with anxious looks on their faces for the second time in less than 24 hours.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

Daniel nervously cleaned his glasses, unable to keep still even for a few minutes in the elevator as he, Jack and Teal'c headed towards the infirmary. The debriefing had been pretty short, given that they had hardly spent any time on the planet. The person Hammond had really wanted to speak to was Sam, but she had been conspicuous by her absence, so the meeting had been cut short.

Truth be told, Daniel was puzzled by her behaviour. As she had exited the wormhole, the look she had given him had seemed to be one of relief, like she had known something he didn't. Also it wasn't like her to evade questions; usually she loved to answer them, and would animatedly babble on for hours. A lot like him in that respect.

'Hey Doc. Where's Carter?' Jack called out when they entered the infirmary to submit to the ritual poking and prodding that was one of the downsides of gatetravel. Daniel almost jumped when Janet's head popped out from behind a curtain.

'I sent her home already. She's got a few days of med leave for those wounds to heal.'

'Is it bad?' Only an idiot could have missed the hint of angst in Jacks query, although he tried to hide it.

'No, but the down time will do her good anyway. It's already been cleared with the General and he's not expecting her mission report till Tuesday.' Like Jack, Janet could not keep the trace of anxiety for Sam out of her face. Promptly she motioned for the men to go into the cubicles while she went to get the post gate examination equipment. She snapped her gloves on and pulled the curtain out around Daniel's bed. 'So, what happened today? You were back early.' she asked in a deceptively casual tone.

Daniel felt even more bewildered by that. Hadn't Sam even told her best friend? She had been acting really freaked and he alone had several questions about P4X 735, let alone the Generals, Jacks and Teal'cs. 'You know what? I'm really not sure'.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	4. chapter four

Chapter 4

Six days later, Sam sat waiting for the lights to change at the crossing, on her way back to the SGC, her woefully short mission report on the seat next to her. Normally she would be itching to get back to work, but today all she wanted to do was crawl back under her bed covers, something she hadn't wanted to do since she had started working on the Stargate project.

She felt like she was going insane. Maybe she was. Normal people did not know when their teammates were going to call them on the phone, half an hour before they actually did. Normal people also did not know what they called to tell her was that there was a glitch in the computer system that needed fixing as soon as she got back. Sam sighed. Doing anything with the computers was not what she really wanted to be doing at the moment.

She just felt...off. There wasn't anything she could pinpoint with complete certainty, but normally work inspired a child like glee within her. It was like her curiosity had been sucked out. She snorted to herself; obviously one of the unforeseen side effects of body possession.

The lights were changing when an image of Jack flashed into her mind. A few seconds later she heard the shrill tones of her mobile, demanding her attention. Keeping one eye one the road she dug her phone out from the bag on the seat next to her. Flipping it open, she went to answer as the road started to meander, leaving the Springs and going up towards the mountains.

'Carter' she said, trying to sound as perky as she normally did. _Not again _she thought as she heard Jack on the other end of the line.

'Yes sir, I'm on my way now.'

'Yes Daniel made me aware of it. It's my first priority.'

'No, no problem.'

'I'll see you soon then Sir.'

Sam frowned and turned the mobile off, before steering into the first security checks of Cheyenne Mountain. Slowing down to pull out her pass, she wished once more she were somewhere else. This was beginning to seriously get to her. 

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

Jack waited impatiently for Sam to arrive in the control, oblivious to the people he was obstructing with his lingering. He was surprised she had willing stayed away as long as she had; unusually only one of Janet's little cocktails could keep her away for any substantial length of time. And she hadn't sounded too thrilled on the phone to be coming in; she had been too perky for somebody who was being sincere. Admittedly if it were him, he wouldn't be that keen on computers at the moment, but still...

When she eventually arrived, Jack had to restrain himself from ordering her right back home again. When she had left earlier that week, he would have said it was impossible to look much worse than she had then. But her face was pallid and drawn, with huge bags under her eyes and a haunted look in them. He doubted in she had got more than a few hours sleep a night.

Wearily she lowered herself down at a console, with a barest nod towards him. With a quiet query to one of the technicians about the root of the glitch, she set to work, although even if it escaped everybody else's notice, it didn't escape Jack's that her hands trembled slightly before they started to batter away at the keyboard.

'So, how long d'you reckon it'll take to work your mojo on this?' he asked as he walked up behind her chair.

'Hmmm?' she said looking up, noticeably distracted. 'Oh. Not long.' and with that she fell silent again. If he hadn't been so worried, Jack probably would have whooped at the lack of long and impossibly complicated explanations. When he had called her (several times in fact) during the week, she had been curt and brisk, though not at all surprised to hear him, almost like she had expected him. And her hearing had improved. She had heard Daniel ringing the bell at his house before he had. Although how she knew it was Daniel was (like so many things) beyond him. Maybe he had a special ring or something.

Pondering this, Jack almost missed the gate chevrons starting to lock until the technician (what was his name anyway? Jack had never managed to find out) blared the news out over the base.

'Unscheduled incoming wormhole. Locking the iris. Wormhole established'

'Is a GDO code being transmitted?' the portly General demanded, coming down the stairs to the control room, moving to where the gate was in full view, while Jack moved from next to Sam to Hammond's side. After a few seconds the tech replied.

'Yes sir. It's SG8'

'They're not scheduled back until 1600. Open the iris'

'No!' Sam's voice was quiet, but forceful, with just a hint of desperation in it. "Sir you MUST not open that iris!'

'And would you like to tell me why Major? The General asked in an exasperated manner.

'Sir, I...' Her voice faltered and it was then Jack noticed that her hands were clutching the desk so tightly they were white and her eyes were softly closed. A few beads of sweat ran down off her forehead and her cheeks were a flushed point of colour in her ashen features. Stiffening, forming a resolve, she reiterated 'you cannot open that iris Sir'. Opening her eyes she turned to look at them, the pleading clear. 'Please' she begged.

'Major Carter without good reason, you know I cannot knowingly let SG8 impact on that iris; it'd kill them' When Sam remained silent, Hammond turned back to the technician, but Jack kept his view on his Major. 'Sergeant, open the iris'.

SG1's brash Colonel watched while Sam despondently turned back to her computer, before starting to hurriedly type again. Just as the iris opened, the blast doors on either side of the gateroom closed with a grinding hiss.

'Major Carter! What the hell do you think you're...' the General stopped mid-bellow, when out from the watery blue disc, instead of SG8 stepped half a dozen Jaffa. Without stopping to wait for the orders, Sam shut the iris and started to power down the wormhole. 

'Sir, get down!' Jack slammed down on the button that lowered the protective panel in front of the control room as the staffblast shattered the glass. After a few minutes, when the gunfire and staffblasts seemed to have subsided, he let the shield rise again, to a scene of carnage, laid out around the gate and ramp. All the Jaffa lay dead or dying, while several airmen also looked slightly worse for the wear. Alarms blared all around them, and Jack felt his head start to pound.

'Major, how did you know?' both Jack and the General expectantly turned their heads towards Sam. 'If you hadn't closed those doors, those Jaffa could have got out into the base.'

Hesitantly, shakily, Sam pushed herself to her feet. Jack started towards her, to offer his support, but she held out her hand to stop him.

'I, I... I'm not crazy' she whispered before she collapsed bonelessly to the floor.

Jack dived to catch her, missing by inches, so kneeled beside her and pulled her onto his lap. He briefly exchanged a confused look with Hammond, before the older man span round and reached for the nearest telephone, hastily calling the infirmary.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

ok, so slightly gimmicky ending, but it seemed the best point at which to cut it off


	5. chapter five

Sorry folks, this parts a teeny bit exposition heavy, but, hey, it had to be done at some point Chapter 5 

Sam groaned as the grey blur that surrounded her gradually came back into focus. Her head was pounding beneath her temples and the world seemed to swim as she pushed herself groggily up.

'Janet?' She had been in the infirmary so much now (both on her account and the rest of her team) that she felt completely comfortable with missing out the entire 'where am I' routine. Instead she got to skip onto the 'why am I here' instead. 

'You collapsed in the control room.' the SGC's CMO replied to the unasked question, coming out of her office.

'Oh. Can I go now?' She started to roll off the bed, only to be stopped and rolled back on by the Doctors firm hand.

'There are still some tests that I need to run and more than a few things that the General is more than a tad curious about. Such as how you knew that wasn't SG8 coming through that wormhole.'

Sam looked down at her hands and began picking apart the edge of the sheet covering her.

'I really don't...'

'Sam' Janet said moving round to look at her friends face, rescuing the blanket from Sam's hands before it got decimated by any more nervous fiddling. 'This is me. What happened?' she asked again in a gentler voice.

Sam took a deep breath 'I'm not crazy. But, but I saw it happen. Before it did I mean.'

Janet raised an eyebrow. Much as she wanted to believe her friend, and as many strange things she had seen since working on the Stargate project, seeing the future was a new.

'Are you sure? It's not just a dream that you mistook. Or one of Jolinars memories?'

'I am not crazy.' Sam repeated again, this time with even more vehemence. She glared at Janet before adding 'And I can tell the difference.' The memory of Daniel's short stay with Dr. Mackenzie flashed through her mind, and she struggled to control her shudder. What if no one believed her? She should have just stayed quiet, hoped these premonitions would go away or that she'd learn to live with them. Anything was better than spending the rest of her days in small, padded, white room.

'Sam.' She looked up into Janet's concerned eyes. 'Honey, I don't think you're crazy. When did this start? Have you had any more of these...' Sam frowned as the Doctor searched for an appropriate word, as she finally settled for '...visions?'

'Oh yeah. Just a few'

'Tell me.'

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

The remainder of SG1 looked up hopefully when Janet entered the briefing room. Holding up her hands to forestall Jack and Daniels immediate queries after Sam she sat down at the briefing table and at the Generals nod of consent began to speak.

'She'll be fine, although I'm still not sure as to why she collapsed in the first place.'

'And her knowledge of SG8?' the General intoned.

Although it wouldn't have been visible to anybody else, to somebody who studied the Tau'ri as much as Teal'c, the slight hesitation in the Doctors reply and the uncertainty in her voice were blatant.

'Well firstly I gave the Major another cat scan. The results are ... interesting, to say the least.' She handed round several copies of the scans. Teal'c looked at his curiously, studying the various shades of colour that patterned the printout. After giving them another few minutes to study the sheets, the Doctor began again. 'The first sheet shows the scan when the entity was in her. Like I explained before, some areas of her brain were dormant, others much more active, like a stroke victim. However once the entity had left, her brain functions seemed to return to normal.' She indicated the second sheet. 'But now... its, I can't explain it, Sir. This part of her brain has become active again. It should be dormant.' She pointed to one area of colour on the last scan. 'It's beyond my experience.'

If Teal'c had been partial to expressing his emotions he would have frowned. Since he wasn't though, he asked 'Doctor Fraiser, although I am concerned over Major Carters condition, I do not see how this is relevant to the situation engaging SG8.' Staying quiet, General Hammond again, nodded his agreement to the question.

'Well, I want you to bear with me, because we're not quite sure. And keep your minds open.'

'Hang on a minute. What do you mean you're not quite sure?' Jack accused, leaning forward onto the table.

'And what do you mean by keep your minds open?' Daniel chimed in.

Teal'c kept stoically silent, but raised an eyebrow. Hammond gestured for Janet to continue. The lengthy pause before she started was apparent to all in the room this time, not just Teal'c.

'Well, after talking to Sam, it seems this isn't the first, uh, incident.'

'WHAT!' Jack's chair flew back against the wall, as he stood up. 'What the hell caused it to happen in the first place?'

Janet glared at the irate Colonel before continuing, pointedly looking away from O'Neill. 'We normally only use around 10% of our brain's total capacity, but in several cases of people displaying parapsychic abilities, they have shown unusual brain activity'.

'Like this in Sam?' Daniel interjected.

Janet nodded. Teal'c was about to enquire how this had occurred when the Doctor carried on. 'We can't be sure what caused it at the moment, there are any number of events that could have stimulated this brain activity; the entity, that virus you picked up from P9X 641, a remnant from Jolinar, being downloaded into a computer, even being shot twice with a zat' Teal'c noticed how O'Neill blanched at the last suggestion, still not sitting down. 'We really have no way of knowing since we can have no idea how any of these phenomena affect the brain chemistry.'

'Yeah, but why didn't she tell us?' The Colonel was not to be placated.

'Would you tell anybody if you thought you were having premonitions. Very accurate visions.' At Daniels calm voice saying the unbelievable, Jack sank back into his chair, missing the pointed glare from Hammond. 'That is what they were, right? And that's how she knew there were Jaffa on that planet?'

Again there was a pause before Fraiser continued. She looked down at the table, before raising her eyes' to meet those of four anxious men. Well three anxious men and a Jaffa, Teal'c amended to himself. 

'Yes. Sir, as far as we know, since the Entity left her body, Major Carter has gained what appear to be precognetic abilities.'

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	6. chapter six

Chapter 6

Sam rolled over on the bed, bored and disturbed simultaneously. Now she was back in the mountain, she wanted to be doing something rather than just sitting - lying she mentally amended - in the infirmary, waiting for Janet to return. She worried over what her next vision would show her. She worried over what her teammates and the General would say. She worried over whether she would end up as a lab rat. The NID were already baying at the proverbial gates to explore her altered chemistry; what would they think about this newfound ability?

She jumped at the klaxon that started to ring out, announcing to the base an unscheduled wormhole. She sat upright in the bed, and then smiled, ignoring the strange looks the nurses gave her. She started to swing herself off of the bed, only to be blocked by a hand.

Irritably Sam pushed it away. "It's the Tok'ra. I have to go' she exclaimed.

'I'm sorry ma'am, but Dr. Fraiser left specific instructions that you remain here until she returns' The nurse put her hand back to push Sam back down until she sighed and relented, easing herself back onto the bed. Satisfied that the Major wasn't going to bolt, the nurse returned to her other duties, quizzically looking back when she realised what her patient had said.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

For the second time in five minutes Jack found himself sat around the briefing room table, discussing a subject he would rather not have to. And, even worse, this time, with people he'd rather not have to see. Across from him Aldwin and another snakehead he didn't recognise sat discussing something vehemently with Daniel and the General. He'd lost track of what they were actually talking about around the time they sat down.

'It would be beneficial if Major Carter could accompany us'. The Tok'ra's dual voice seemed to slam down the room's atmosphere. Jack was glad to notice that he was not the only human who shifted uneasily. He was about to reply in his usual antagonistic manner, when General Hammond answered, 'Unfortunately Major Carter is predisposed at the moment, although I'm sure the rest of SG1 will be willing to help you.' Jack cursed inwardly that he hadn't been listening; if they were going to go on another Tok'ra suicide mission, he at least wanted to know what for. Especially now. 

What was it with them anyway? Did they purposefully wait for the most untimely moment? And even if they did say they couldn't go, then Aldwin would want to know why. Which would mean they would have to tell them about Carter. Which would mean that they would want one of their people (probably Anise knowing their luck) to examine her. And the last thing his second needed was another party who were going to poke and prod her; it was going to be hard enough to keep this revelation out of the NID's notice.

He started to doodle on the pad in front of him, waiting for the heated discussion at the other end of the table to stop. His spirits were slightly lifted by the fact that Teal'c was displaying his bored face, although admittedly the Jaffa's 'bored' face was suspiciously similar to all his others. He wanted to go and see Carter. This was stupid. He should be helping his Major deal with this latest crises rather than dozing off here.

But how much would she want to be helped by him anyway? He had killed her for crying out loud! That was a guilt he was not going to rest lightly. Not matter how many times she said that she didn't blame him. God, the latest attempt being made on her sanity could be all his fault as well.

Jack only stemmed his groan when he noticed that the rest of the rooms' occupants started to stare at him.

'You have a problem with this mission Colonel?' The General was not amused by this interruption, although Jack could guess that this was only his way at shielding his distress over Carter's condition.

'No, sir'.

'Good you ship out in ten minutes then'.

The relcaltricient Colonel could only just control his second groan as he realised that this meant his visit to the infirmary would have to be postponed indefinitely.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	7. chapter seven

Chapter 7

Jack was not pleased. Actually, bearing in mind the dark expression on his face and deliberate pace to his step, this was an understatement. Although, also bearing in mind the dozen Jaffa surrounding them and staff weapons pointed their way, Daniel didn't really blame him.

'15 minutes, 15! Why do we even bother to go on these missions for the Tok'ra! We might as well just go to Chulak with a huge neon sign saying 'catch me'!'. Jack's angry tirade was interrupted by another poke to his back by the Jaffa behind him. He had already been 'persuaded' to quieten several times by their escort when they considered him becoming too rowdy.

Daniel had to admit he had a point. On a supposedly uninhabited planet, meeting a group of Jaffa was not the thing they'd planned for. Neither, apparently had the Jaffa, who seemed just as surprised as they did. They hadn't really had much of chance to do anything other than quietly surrender to the greater number.

As they neared the Stargate clearing, Daniel struggled to keep his scruffy, downtrodden composure as another, larger group of Jaffa arrived from the opposite direction, led by what only could be a Goa'uld. These were obviously the group contacted by the lead Jaffa when they had first been captured. The two moved off to one side of the open area.

They looked almost comical, the customarily huge Jaffa towering over his richly clad master. Although their voices were hushed, he could still hear their conversation if he strained.

'We believe they are of the Tau'ri, my Lord'

The dual tones of the symbiont replied ' The Tau'ri? There is a high bounty offered by many of the system Lords for their capture. Although first I may have my own interests to satisfy. I shall be returning to Feyknonya.'

'And the meeting with Lady Hasella, my Lord?'

'Once she arrives here, direct her on to my palace, she has obviously not arrived yet, a discourtesy that may be overlooked, depending on the information she has to offer. For too long Procrustes has been ignored.'

'Very well, my Lord. Once Lady Hasella arrives we shall direct her to your planet.'

'That will be adequate. But she may have a different host. I heard that her older vessel had been disfigured. You shall know her by her use of the symbol. Do not fail me in this Sha'lnk.' After giving a complicated hand sign, the Goa'uld spun on his heels, robes billowing behind him, while the Jaffa bowed. With a curt nod to one by the DHD, the Goa'uld came over to impatiently wait while the gate was dialled up.

Daniel wished for it to dial slower. He supposed even if SG1 didn't escape this time, at least Sam would be safe. From the lack of remarks from Jack's direction he guessed that the Colonel had reached that conclusion too. He hoped it would lighten some of the guilt he was certain the older man was feeling at the moment.

With a jolt - literally as a Jaffa pushed him - he came back to reality and resignedly followed Teal'c through the blue puddle.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

Despite his wide girth, the General could move at a brisk enough pace that Doctor Fraiser found herself almost out of breathe to keep up and talk at the same time. 'I'll bet the Colonel wasn't pleased at having to go on another mission for the Tok'ra.'

Hammond chuckled lightly before answering 'No, he wasn't but Aldwin said it should only take them a few hours there and back; we're expecting them back in four now.'

'Good.' Janet gave an internal sigh of relief. At his expectant look, she elaborated 'Hopefully the sedative I gave Major Carter should keep her resting until they get back. The last thing she needs is another thing to worry about.'

The General nodded as they rounded the corner and entered the elevator. 'And the last thing we need to worry about is Major Carter trying to stage a breakout and follow them. The Pentagon want this 'ability' explored further'

'I don't know when that will be possible, at least anytime soon. These episodes seem to take a lot out of her; it's why we think she's been so tired the last few weeks. And as much as I hate lying to her, worrying over SG1, will not help at the moment.' The Doctor tried to leave out her worry that she felt over both the condition of her friend and for the rest of SG1somewhere out in the galaxy. The latter she kept buried deep down, in the same place she always felt that little knawing of doubt whenever any of her best friend and her team went out.

'I understand Doctor. Please inform me once she's woken up. There are still some matters I need to discuss with her.'

The lift pinged as it reached the correct floor, and then the General nodded curtly to her before striding off to whatever had brought him up away from his office and the gate. Janet started to flip through the folder with Sam's latest set of test results as she entered the infirmary and headed in the direction of the woman's bed. She was disturbed to see that the Major, rather than sleeping peacefully, like she should under the heavy sedative Janet had given her, was tossing and turning, murmuring in her sleep. 

When she leant down to try to hear what the other woman was saying, Janet noticed her hands clenching and unclenching so tightly little half moon crescents of red were left on her palms. She jumped in surprise when Sam sat bolt upright, her hair sticking up from the sweat trickling down her forehead.

Sam's eyes swept the room before their angry blue gaze settled on the doctor, an unusual accusatory glare in them. Janet shifted uncomfortably, before Sam spoke.

'Why didn't you tell me they had gone? When were you going to tell me? If at all!' Sam's eyes seem to pierce through her and she instantly regretted not being completely honest with her friend. 'They need me with them. Janet, they're gonna get themselves killed!'

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	8. chapter eight

nice long chapter for you folks. Enjoy! 

Chapter 8 

Sam couldn't believe it. She could not believe it. Janet had lied to her. An outright lie. Ok, so she accepted that Janet might have to sometimes be economical with the truth, stress being bad for the patient and all, but there was no way SG1 was 'safely' doing some experiment waiting for her to recover.

Janet started to say something but Sam just glared at her. 'It's something to do with the Tok'ra, isn't it? Isn't it?' she said her voice starting to raise hysterically in distress, while she swung her legs of the bed, flinching as she ripped out the IV out of her arm.

'Sam, what are you doing? You can't get up yet.' She ignored the pleading look on her friends face and the desperately apologetic tone to her voice. She just knew she had to find her friends. 

'I have to find them. They're going to get caught. They'll be taken to another planet less than an hour after they arrive.' Sam stopped her angry tirade when she noticed the sorrow that flitted over the Doctors face. 'What?'

'Honey, they left over two hours ago.'

Sam felt her heart sink. 'No, no. We have to go after them. Now.' She started to push herself off the bed, only to be held back down. She bit back an urge to growl at her friend.

'We will. You'll stay right here, while I'll go and tell General Hammond. I'm sure he'll organise a rescue party.'

'Like you were sure that they were safe in the first place?' She couldn't keep the accusation out of her voice. The (small) vindictive side of her was slightly satisfied to see the abashed look of guilt on Janet's face.

'I promise you I'll try the best I can. Are you sure they are captured?'

'Yes. I saw it. Loud and clear, with front seats and surround sound.'

'I believe you. Please Sam don't.... Just stay here until I come back. Please?'

Sam nodded quickly, although she knew she had no intention of staying. She suspected that Janet knew that too. The doctor however just looked slightly relieved, although the lines of tension were still visible around her face. She turned on her heel and almost ran out the door. A few seconds later she could hear the petite brunette snapping at an airman to open the lift and to contact the General.

She waited another couple of minutes, until she couldn't hear anything else, before she stealthily slipped out the bed. Changing into the clothes in the cupboard next to the bed, she slid out of the infirmary. She slunk down in the shadows of the SGC towards her lab, ignoring the dull ache and stiffness in her legs as they protested against the controlled movements. She almost grinned at the thought that the Colonel would be pleased with her sneaking, but soon quashed that thought when she remembered why she was sneaking.

Almost as soon as she'd woken up she'd started to plan what she could do. Getting a normal weapon was out the question - the arms master would want to know why she had it. However there was at least one weapon she could get easily, since it wasn't kept with the majority of the arms, after all it wasn't like most people could use it. But first to the labs. There was something she needed to get. 

And then there was the gate. She'd have to commandeer that somehow. It had been tricky enough with the rest of SG1, but by herself? That would require some more creative thinking.

It was pure luck that Sam had entered her lab before the next vision swept over her, out of view of any passing personnel. She sank to the floor clutching head, trying not to cry out, though she desperately wanted to. She did allow herself to whimper though, as she 'saw' events unfold in her mind.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

As far as being held in cell by a possibly psychotic megalomaniac went, in Daniels mind it hadn't been so bad. So far. At least the cell had wooden benches that they could sit on, which were a slight improvement on a stone floor. And those Jaffa hadn't roughed them up much either. Just the odd poke in the back.

'So, Danny, any idea which snakehead has us this time?'

'Well. I didn't recognise the mark on the Jaffa, Teal'c?' Daniel looked across to the larger man, who, having declined from sitting on a bench, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, attempting to meditate for the last hour or so of their imprisonment. At Daniels query his eyes opened and scanned the floor over to where Jack was pacing, by the solid wooden door.

'I have not seen that mark before Daniel Jackson.'

'Ok, there's a good chance he's just a lesser Goa'uld then, or maybe a minor System Lord. Before we went through the Gate, one of his Jaffa called him 'Procrustes'.'

'And? This tells us what? His hat size?' 

'No, not exactly but there is a character called Procrustes in Greek mythology. He used to offer sanctuary to people on the road to...'

'So he's a good Goa'uld then?' Jacks voice was sceptical, and, not for the first time, Daniel wished he would let him finish before jumping to conclusions. He shifted uneasily on the wood, and placed his hands on his knees.

'Let me finish. Once he'd invited somebody in he'd usually torture them to death, using this special bed.' Daniel wasn't surprised to see Jack's dubious expression. He quickly carried on before the Colonel could interrupt again. 'Anyway, he carried on doing this before he and four other bandits along the road were stopped and given a some of their own medicine, by Theseus, an ancient Grecian hero.'

Teal'c opened his eyes again. 'It could therefore be extrapolated that Procrustes of this legend was a goa'uld.'

'And if he was beaten in a battle by another, like this Theseus, assuming he's a goa'uld too, then that would explain why Teal'c hasn't heard of him; he simply wasn't deemed important enough to worry about.'

'Interesting as this isn't, kids, do we actually know anything about him?' Jacks request drawled through Daniels excited torrent, bringing Daniel back to reality with a crash, and the severity of their situation.

'If he's as unimportant as he sounds, then finding people like us, wanted by half a dozen major system Lords, is the equivalent to finding a goldmine'. At this glum statement Jack finally dumped himself down next to Daniel on the bench, glaring at him as he did so. 

He could that Jack was about to snap a reply to him when footsteps could be heard reverting around the corridor outside, before the door was thrown open, nearly ripping out it's hinges in the progress. Four Jaffa stood outside, pointing an assortment of zats and staff weapons at the cell's occupants. 'You shall come with us.' their leader instructed in an impassionate tone. With little other choice, Daniel and the other two incarcerated members of SG1 obediently followed the Jaffa out.

They were taken briskly down a stone corridor, decorated with rich murals and tapestries, before turning through an opening, hung with a thick curtain into an even more opulently decorated chamber. Lounging on a huge throne at one end, swathed in gems and fanned by two skinny serving boys, the Goa'uld who had captured them lazily lifted his eyes until they rested on his prisoners.

With a lazy flick of his hand he motioned them over before him, letting his Jaffa push them onto their knees. Daniel gritted his teeth as his legs jarred against the stone floor, hearing Jack's groans he did the same. With another gesture, the goa'uld dismissed the two of the Jaffa; the other pair standing respectfully back at the entrance.

Smoothly, he swung himself to his feet and down the dais on which his throne sat. Procrustes was not much taller than Daniel, but slightly wider and older, although he still looked fit and with few grey hairs. His resonated tones rang out across the hall 'so the infamous Tau'ri has finally been captured, after eluding it for so long. I had planned to sell you all to the system Lords, but I have been looking for a younger host for a while now' Daniel felt a shiver travel down his spine as he realised that the Goa'uld was looking directly at him. He felt frozen to the spot until he saw that Jack was about to speak and so discreetly elbowed him in the ribs. The last thing they needed was for their captor to get pissed off by a few untimely comments from SG1's resident smartass. 

He was about to reply when the Goa'uld started to speak again 'It is a shame the female is not with you, I have heard she is most beautiful and I am in need of a new Queen'. Daniel breathed an internal sigh of relief that at least Sam would be saved from that. He hoped she would get better. It was at that moment he understood that he did not think he would get home. He wondered that Sam would do. He wondered if it was selfish of him to be glad he was one the ones who would probably die rather than the lone member left behind.

Daniel craned his head up to watch Procrustes stroll up and down the line. After spending four years working in a military base, even he recognised the tactical advantage of having your enemy have to look up to you.

'Jaffa kree, sun mut'ka shel'nom klah" As the Goa'uld barked out the order Daniel saw Teal'c visibly flinch. This must be bad. Teal'c never flinched. He saw as another Jaffa entered the chamber, bringing what could only be what Sam had described a pain stick to be. Daniel hadn't seen one before, but from the fact that only the memory of it could cause Sam excruciating pain, and the condition they found Teal'c in after Heru'ur had tortured him he concluded it could not be good.

He gulped as an eerie smile passed over the Goa'uld's features as he was handed the instrument, before strode over to where Jack kneeled. Ever the military man, not a trace of information could be gleamed from Jack's face. Daniel closed his eyes, not wanting to see his friend's torture.

However the next sound he heard were not his friend's screams of agony, but another voice, coming from behind him. For a moment he felt hope rise in him; could it be the SGC? Then he heard the voice's metallic tone, even though something about seemed odd. Without bothering to comtemplate this he opened his eyes again and swivelled his head to see this new speaker. 

The Goa'uld was obviously a female, her clothing a strange close fitting mix of what seemed to Minoan and Egyptian. Her face was concealed by a veil, attached to a loose burnoose of cloth that covered her hair and then hung from narrow shoulders down her back. On one hand a ribbon device lay inactive, while a small bag was held to her frame by a thin cord.

'Hasella. I presume you have news for me?' 

Daniel's shoulder's slumped. It wasn't even a Tok'ra. Now there was another goa'uld to delight in SG1 tortures. He tried to straighten himself up as the two goa'uld turned back to them after having conferred in hushed tones. Procrustes took back the pain stick back from the Jaffa and once again started back towards Jack.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	9. chapter nine

Ok, sorry this has taken so long to post, it's been sitting in my hard disk for several days now, but our Internet Provider's server was down so this is the earliest chance I've had.

Chapter 9

Dra'auc was worried. Well that was not unsurprising, since she was always worried about her husband and how he fared. Although she understood the importance of his work with the Tau'ri, she often wished he would avail himself to visit her and Ry'ac more often. But now, after the bizarre visit of that Tau'ri she was filled with anxiety for her beloved and more than a little bewilderment.

She had been spending the morning brewing a variation of telklet, or as close as she could make with the ingredients available at the Land of Light, hoping to give it time to ferment before the Solstice. The beverage was as popular here as in Chulak, and the recipe being Chulakian meant that Dra'auc was the only one who knew how to prepare it correctly. Many of the townspeople were eager to barter goods or services in exchange for a cask, and so late in life she had come to a new profession as a brewer.

The sun had been shining, and she had been humming to herself. Ry'ac was playing with some of her new friends and Teal'c had promised to come and see her in six days now. Suddenly she had seen Ry'ac and two of his friends (their name escaped her, the Untouched had names so strange to her) running from the direction of the Darkness.

It wasn't until they drew closer over the bluff shadowing her cottage that she realised that one of the figures was not a leggy youth, but a women, dressed in the dark green favoured by the Tau'ri. With a cloud of dust surrounding them the three skidded to a halt. Dra'auc rose to her feet and walked over to meet them.

The woman was the shorthaired blond who Dra'auc had seen with Teal'c and his friends. This woman puzzled her; surely she could not be a warrior like the other men. Dra'auc had at first presumed she was the woman of one of the Teal'c's friends. However her demeanour and behaviour conflicted with that idea, she was assured and not in the least subservient.

Today though her request was hurried and unsure, gasped out while she recovered from running apparently the entire way from the chappa'ai. She frowned a bit at the other woman query, but nodded and complied when it became apparent that this was vital to Teal'cs well being.

During her time with the Untouched Dra'auc had acquired a sizable wardrobe. Although she had come with only with a few of her clothes, she had soon gained more, first as gifts and then as payment as she became integrated into their society. Why the Tau'ri wanted her clothes was beyond Dra'auc even though she was willing to lend them.

When the Tau'ri women emerged from changing, Dra'auc had to restrain a grin at the discomfort shown on her features presumably at the clothes tightness. Despite that they were still versatile and did restrain movement as requested. 

Out of a pocket from her original the woman took a small round object, sliding that under her top and an oblong object that she placed in her belt purse. From another she took a shiny metal device and started to pull it onto her hand. Dra'auc took an involuntary step back when she saw a weapon of the gods. Despite the woman's reassurances she still discreetly motioned for Ry'ac to make himself and his friend scarce.

Before she left the woman thanked Dra'auc again for help and promised to send word when she found Teal'c. Then she made Dra'auc promise not to tell anyone she was here. Dra'auc was bewildered as to why she did not want the others of her people to know she had been there, but agreed not to tell the team who the women told her would not doubt be following her, about her presence or Dra'auc's part in helping her.

The woman twisted a cloth around her head, leaving the attached veil unclipped. She expressed more gratitude's and then spun and started to jog back in the direction she had come. Ry'ac crept back round from the side of the house, but Dra'auc ignored his inquiries as to the hurried visit as she lowered herself back down to her chair.

And there she still sat several hours later, pondering as to what was really going on. As the women - Major Carter, she corrected herself - had predicted a full SG team had come and questioned her, but as promised she denied everything. As no one else other than herself, Ry'ac and his friend had seen the Major; the other Tau'ri had left none the wiser.

And so Dra'auc was left alone to her worrying.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	10. chapter ten

Lights! Camera! Action! Action! ACTION! Well ok, not quite, but as much action as you're gonna get from this story anyway.

Chapter 10 

The pain was intense and burning and ...

...Wasn't there. Jack was perplexed. He shook his head to try and clear the blanket draped over his cognitive process. Even a few seconds of that thing were unbelievably painful. Only once his mind had clear did he start to wonder why it had stopped; surely this Crusty guy would have kept him in pain longer than that.

He slowly lifted his head, meeting Daniels worried eyes. It was then he saw the Goa'uld lying sprawled next to his throne. A moment later he saw a Jaffa flying through the air to meet him. Turning round he saw the slight figure of the female goa'uld wreaking havoc on the Jaffa guards who had run in on hearing the disturbance. Continual pulses of energy ripped from the device on her hand, knocking down the Jaffa like skittles.

Slowly Jack also tuned in Daniel's excited babbling. 'This is amazing. And of course rather lucky. She must have a feud with Procrustes. Or maybe another Goa'uld has paid her off. Or maybe she's a Tok'ra...'

'Danny, much as any other time I would find it fascinating to hear why snakeheads might want to bump each other off, might we take this opportunity to, I don't know, ESCAPE!' 

With a mumbled apology Daniel scrambled to his feet and turned to help Jack to his, while Teal'c smoothly rose behind them. They scooted over to the wall and then started to skirt round the walls, heading towards the entrance. Jack swore when some of the zat and staff blasts swung away from their former target and started towards the SG1. Damn. He had hoped that the Jaffa would be too busy to watch SG1 quickly slip away.

The goa'uld started to back towards them, still firing at the depleted number of Jaffa. She turned and barked an order to Teal'c. And Teal'c followed it. Jack almost sat down in shock when the large ex first prime turned round and grabbed a forgotten staff weapon using it to blow a hole in the wall. 

Distracted by Teal'c Jack didn't notice the staff blast heading towards him until it was too late to duck. He would have ended up with his innards spread over the now crumbling wall if the veiled figure hadn't spun round and used her ribbon device to push the blast harmlessly off course. At the same time though while her back was turned a solitary zat burst found its target in the now smoky room. 

She grunted and her knees started to buckle. Jack was ambivalent over whether to help her; she was a goa'uld but she had just saved his life. What was in it for her? Was she another bounty hunter? His problem was solved when she pushed herself back up and started to fire at the shadowy shapes still visible.

'Go.' Her duplex voice sounded almost despairing. 'Go, I'll hold them back. Please!' Jack shared a look with Daniel and Teal'c. He hoped they were thinking what he was, that it would be easier to take out one female, even if she was a goa'uld, than several dozen Jaffa. The second ribbon blast from another direction convinced him, as he heard Pocustad...Porcrusted...whatever join the fight. He motioned for Daniel and Teal'c to leave through the now gaping hole, before following himself.

Luckily it had been an outside wall, and so SG1 had taken off into the surrounding woods. After a few minutes, Jack looked back and was surprised to see their mysterious rescuer was running like hell after them, clutching one arm. Behind her, he could faintly hear the horde of Jaffa. 'Colonel! Wait!'

He saw Daniel slow slightly and turn to watch her. He could have throttled him. Now was not the time to start getting fluffy feelings towards a goa'uld. He was about to snap at him to start up again, the gate was just over the next bluff, when suddenly a zat blast snaked through the trees and wrapped around their saviour. 

This time she did collapse, twitching as the electricity disrupted her nervous system. Daniel, behind the other two ran back to the still form, ignoring the calls Jack sent after him, ordering him to get his ass back over here.

'Teal'c go, get the gate open.' The Jaffa nodded and sprinted the remaining distance to the DHD. Jack turned and run back round to where Daniel crouched by what at any other time he would have thought was a burnt bundle of cloth. 'Daniel get going, we can't risk our hide for a snake, even if she did rescue us.' He paused for a minute before adding 'It's not a Tok'ra is it?' Don't be Anise, Don't be Anise. He could hear the Jaffa getting closer and blast once again started to pepper the grass around them.

Daniel ducked his head to avoid a particularly close blast, before lifting his head to meet Jack's hard glare. 'Jack, you'd better see this' and he lifted away the veil. More shots scattered around them, and while Daniel scooped the still unconscious form into his arms and started to run, Jack stayed frozen in shock. 

The next blast close to his feet though sent he sprinting after the rest of his team though, skidding to a halt next to steps to a Stargate. For a moment he wondered where Daniel had got the GDO, as all their equipment had been taken. But that was forgotten as he dived through the gate after Daniel, who was still clutching his precious bundle, feeling Teal'c follow right on his heels.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	11. chapter eleven

I know this chapter is short, but I swear I'm almost done. Hopefully the rest should be written and posted by Thursday, cos I'm going away for the weekend to the Red Dwarf Dimension Jump (for those of you who don't know, Red Dwarf is a hugely funny and clever British sci-fi sitcom).

Chapter 11

It had been easy, so easy. Shockingly so in fact. You'd have thought that computer as powerful as the SGCs' would have been impenetrable. Admittedly to most it would have been, but someone who knew it as well as Sam, hell she had actually been IN it. She doubted that anybody apart from General Hammond and a few at the Pentagon knew that the gate could be accessed from a remote terminal in an unused storeroom. Even she hadn't known about that little back up, presumably put in so the gate could still be controlled if the Control room was taken over or damaged. At least she hadn't until she had been there. Literally.

With her technical know-how it had been easy to override the control room and rig the gate to dial out and blast doors to close after a set time, once she knew the failsafe was there. Once she had reached the Land of Light she ran as fast as she could, grateful when she met Ry'ac since he could show her the quickest way to Dra'auc. She knew she had to be quick. Although she had set a lock on the computer system, she knew it wouldn't be long before one of the technicians cracked it. If she wanted to, she could have set a virus on them so no one could have ever got in until she got back, but that would have meant the iris would be locked either open or shut, and she couldn't risk putting either the SGC or any off world teams in that danger. So she ran.

Although Dra'uac had seemed confused with Sam's request, she had willingly complied, although she had seemed nervous when she took out the ribbon device. All in all, the trip had only taken her 15 minutes. As she neared the gate, it started to spin, chevrons locking. As the vortex formed she dived into a patch of thorny undergrowth. When SG3 stepped through she scrunched herself down, aware that her new clothes offered little camouflage, ignoring the scratches being gouged into her arms. However the team walked straight past her.

'Ok fan out. We'll check the woods on the way to the city. Somebody has to have seen her.'

'What if she went through the gate again?'

'Then we'll obviously not find her.'

The second speaker glared at his commanding officer before veering off to the right. Sam breathed in relief as they passed her hiding place, not realising that she had been holding it. Once she thought they were out of hearing range, she scrambled out of the brambles, pulling a rogue branch out of her hair as she stumbled towards the DHD.

As an after thought she pulled a small circular device out of the bag at her side, and slipped it onto her throat, rearranging her burnoose so that it was definitely covered. Then she held her head high and tried to look haughty as she stepped through the event horizon.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

'Off world gate activation. Receiving SG1's GDO'

'Open the iris' General Hammond commanded as he walked down the stairs from his office. He hoped that his flagship team was going to come back in one piece. Dr Fraiser had told him about Major Carter's last vision and it worried him. If the good major had thought it worthwhile to risk court-martial then it must have been bad.

In a way reminiscent of their entrance a few days ago figures of SG1 careened through the gate. Hammond repressed a sigh of despair as he saw only the three men of SG1 land heavily on the ramp. If Major Carter hadn't found them, then where was she? It was a big universe out there. And how could she get through the iris? They had no idea if she had taken a GDO or not.

It was then he saw a bundle roll out from under Dr Jackson as he got to his knees. A distinctly human shaped bundle. With some suspiciously blood coloured stains bleaching part of the cloth.

He saw Daniel reach over and start to uncover the person, but Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill moving in around them blocked his view. He hurried out of the control room, down the stairs and bustled through the now open blast doors. He ground to a halt as he actually reached the edge of the ramp. By now all three men were crouched around what Hammond hoped wasn't what he thought it was.

'Medic! MEDIC!' Colonel O'Neill roared, before turning back to the still form. It was then it registered with the General that Daniel was giving mouth to mouth, while Teal'c performed chest compressions.

'Excuse me, sir.' Janet Fraiser weaved past the bodies now blocking the way to her would be patient in her normal efficient way. 'Oh crap.' He started at the Doctor's uncharacteristic swearing. He moved closer through the throng of people when Teal'c lifted the distinctly feminine form onto the proffered trolley. 'What happened?'

'She was hit twice with a zat.' He wasn't even sure from which member of SG1 that had come from. His premier team circled anxiously round, like moths with a flame.

'Tell them to have the crash cart ready! I want 10mg of adrenaline waiting for us. Go, GO!' Fraiser ended her orders shouting. She then swung herself onto the trolley so she could continue CPR while they headed towards the infirmary.

As the trolley passed Hammond he saw that his fear had been confirmed. Covered with scratches and minor contusions, along with a couple of ones that were not so minor, with a shoulder wound that looked distinctly like a staff blast, lay the pale and unresponsive form of one Major Doctor Samantha Carter, USAF.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	12. chapter twelve

Ok, this took slightly longer than planned to be posted (blame GCSE technology projects needing to be built – and in the holidays!), so sorry about that. Also, sorry about any medical information in this chapter (or any other) being complete crap but all my medical knowledge is got from shows like Casualty or Holby City and so is shaky to say the least.

Chapter 12 

The Jaffa had been easy to fool. They were obviously so eager to get her back to their master that they hadn't bothered to question her identity beyond the hand signal which her photographic memory easily remembered from her vision. She had wanted to urge them to walk quicker once they had re-emerged from the wormhole to the goa'uld's homeworld, but she couldn't risk suspicion.

She stifled her shouts of joy when she saw SG1 in mostly one apparent piece when she burst into the room. This had been quickly stemmed when she saw the goa'uld about to use the pain stick on the Colonel. Her Colonel. She quickly assessed her position. Strategically it wasn't good. 

She needed to be closer to SG1, further from the door, and closer to the East wall, which she was pretty sure was an outside one, and next to a small wood if her initial observations were correct. Sam gulped. She would have to talk to the goa'uld. He smiled at her and they walked to meet each other. They went over to a corner of a room. _Too far away, too far away. _ She had to get him back over towards the centre of the room.

He started to ask her questions. She wasn't sure, but they sounded like he wanted information on the system Lords activities. Information she didn't have. 'My Lord, important as this information is, I see you already have 'guests'. It would be rude not to see to them first' 

At least the technicians would be glad to know that their voice modulators actually worked. She really did sound like a Goa'uld, even if there was a slightly unusual twinge to it that she hoped hadn't been noticed.

The goa'uld laughed lightly, before tapping her cheek. She had to contain her shudder and instinctive reaction to jerk her head away.

'Yes that would be most rude of me. Come, we would not want to keep them waiting.' He then gave a sinister style and headed back towards her team, collecting the pain stick as he went.

He just had to go a little bit closer. She didn't want him to use it on any of her team, but he had to go just a little closer to the Colonel, before she could activate the ribbon device unnoticed. He took one small step closer and she saw her moment. He lifted the pain stick up to the Colonel at the same time at which Sam focused all her frustration at the situation into the ribbon device.

Every nerve in her body hummed to the same pitch of the weapon as it began to glow. She lifted her land up and in one graceful movement sent the goa'uld sailing through the air to land in a pile, unconscious. Once they had got over the initial shock of seeing their master flying like a stuffed turkey the Jaffa in the room started to fire, and she knew it wouldn't be long before more followed.

She continually sent pulses of energy towards the Jaffa, begging internally that her protective feelings towards her team would keep the device powered. It seemed to drain her emotions. She chanced a look over her shoulder and saw her team start to edge towards the correct wall. She fired with a greater intensity, wanting to draw the ever growing number of Jaffa's fire.__

She edged towards the wall, and spotting what she needed yelled to her nearest team member. 'Quick use the staff to blow a hole in the wall.' For a moment she didn't understand why her stared at her instead of trying to escape. Then she remembered the voice modulator - they must actually think she was a goa'uld. 'Teal'c please! Like on Chulak!'

The Jaffa looked almost shocked, not understanding what was going on. However she was pleased to hear him power up a weapon when she focused herself again on reflecting the blasts that were coming their way.

She had little time to feel smug though when she heard the sound of crumbling mortar, as out of the corner of her eye she saw a staff blast. Heading straight towards O'Neill. In a movement born out of panic she twisted and aimed every thought she had at deflecting the energy. It thudded harmlessly into the wall. She had little time to contemplate the narrow escape her Colonel had just had when she felt all her nerves scream instead of hum and the hand device flicker out.

She could feel herself start to collapse and stopped herself through sheer will. She forced herself to stand upwards and ordered the ribbon device to come on again. After that it was all she could do to keep upright and carry on firing. The smoke that had accumulated in the room burned her lungs and she felt so tired. She had a hazy idea that another ribbon device was firing, but she couldn't be quite sure.

She vaguely recalled yelling to the others to go, but it was a few minutes before Sam realised that they had actually gone and left her. She felt almost annoyed. Then she was pulled back to a higher cognitive level when an off chance staff blast glanced off her arm. She bit back a scream, and now in more control of her senses turned and started to scramble through the hole in the wall.

With no more blasts coming their way the Jaffa grew bolder and started to move forward. Just as she scrambled over the last block the wall shook and she was thrown over onto her side. The breath thrust from her body, she barely remembered to cover her head as dust and debris rained down on her.

Cautiously she stood up, wincing when she gently touched the wound currently covering one side of her face in blood. At least one factor had worked with her; the blast had blocked the hole with rubble, giving them a head start on any pursuit that followed. Her entire body protested as she pushed it into a clumsy run in the direction she thought her friends had headed.

She breathed in relief as she saw her friends in front of her and the tip of the Stargate just beyond them. Suddenly she heard a noise that she was sure should have worried her. Before she could react though her entire nervous system seemed to feel on fire and she could feel herself involuntararily fall to the damp ground. She thought she heard dim voices before oblivion overtook her completely.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

'Clear!'

Daniel watched with a morbid fascination as his friends body arched up as the electricity ran through her. The entourage of doctors and nurses who had attached themselves to her side milled round as they screeched into the infirmary, not even waiting to stop before they started to defibrillate.

'And again!'

He tore his eyes away from his friends' prostate form and concentrated instead on the machine issuing the high-pitched scream, informing everybody in the room of Sam's lack of life.

Despite the great plethora of god's he studied, Daniel was not a religious man. He found himself praying under his breath anyway. She couldn't die. Not now. She'd only just got over almost dying as it was. And Jack...he sneaked a peak over at the Colonel. Who actually looked surprisingly calm. Any one else would have thought he didn't care, but Daniel had learnt with Jack that the blanker the face he put on, the more he was hurting.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Daniel could have jumped for joy when the machines noise changed. Even Teal'c grinned.

'Intubate her now!' Despite Sam's upgrade in condition from dead to alive, Janet seemed no less harried. 'And connect an EEG. Gentlemen I'm going to have to ask you to leave' She turned to them with her 'disobey me and be doomed' look on her face. Reluctantly the three men slowly backed away, only to be seized by another nurse, who dragged them off protesting for post gate and to have their own hurts seen to.

By the time the nurses had finished with them, Jack wasn't then only one who started to snap at the medics. After giving him one more jab and warning to not drink any alcohol for at least 24 hours, the nurse released him. He couldn't have scarpered fast enough. He met Jack and Teal'c outside their cubicles and then all three practically ran to the room Sam had been taken to.

And skidded to halt, bumping into each other as they found it completely empty. It was like an icy cold hand had tore out his heart and thrown straight into the dustbin.

'No' Jack shook his head and ventured further into the room, searching the corners, as if she had been hidden. 'NO!' he turned and threw the first thing he could grab against the wall. The bottle shattered, it's contents staining the wall a brown colour.

'Colonel, what are you doing?' The doctor's query rang out as she entered room, followed by a trolley. On which lay Sam.

'Sam' Daniel and Jack breathed the name at the same time before stepping up to her bed. Daniel only looked up again when he confirmed to himself that she was still alive. 

At the unspoken question in their eyes, Janet said 'we took her for an MRI, and these results are interesting,

'But she'll be ok, right?'

'I hope so. Her MRI is well, normal' Off their baffled glances continued 'normal as in like before the incident. Or any abilities appeared.'

Jack didn't seem satisfied by this though. He still hadn't taken his eyes off Sam, drinking in her presence. 'But what about...' he motioned towards the blood still staining her clothes and the bruises marring her complexion.

'They're not as serious as they look Colonel, we were going to clear them up now.' She peered over at the stain now on the wall and the glass fragments under it. 'Looks like that won't be the only thing getting cleared up. We just need to wait for her to wake up now.'

*~~***~~**~~***~~*


	13. epilogue

Epilogue 

Teal'c shifted uncomfortably in the hard infirmary chair. Four days. Four days since they had got back. Four days in which Major Carter had still not regained consciousness.

Janet smiled as she saw the stoic Jaffa, solemnly sitting beside the bed, back ramrod straight. At least one of SG1 had been with her since she had been comatose. She turned and started to head towards her office when a cry Teal'c caused her pause.

'Teal'c?' The voice was so thin and husky, she almost missed it. When she pivoted round she saw the gargantuan man leaning over his teammate. She quickly strode over to see the Major rapidly blinking, while Teal'c grasped her hand, beaming.

'Call Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson' she barked at the airman waiting by the door, before putting her attention completely on the woman in front of her.

Sam waited for her vision to become clear and tried to sort the mist in her mind at the same time. She felt tired and sore, but the exhausting cloud that had seemed to be choking her these past few weeks. She wanted to speak and ask what had happened, but her throat felt like sand paper. She weakly smiled in gratitude as Janet gave her ice cubes, savouring the cool feeling as they slid down her throat.

Jack and Daniel sprinted down to the infirmary as soon as they heard the news, knocking over several airmen on the way. When he reached Sam beside Daniel Stopped so abruptly that Jack crashed into him, sending both forward onto Sam's bed.

'Hey sir.'

'Hey yourself Carter' Jack gave a token wave and pushed himself off the bed, rearranging himself next to Daniel. 'How ya doing?'

'M'ok. You got away from the gould?' Normally Sam pronounced the name properly, but today the slur that the others used was easier to her fraught brain. 

'Yeah, thanks to you Sam. These visions could come in useful' Daniel was surprised when slowly Sam shook her head.

'No. Feels'different now. No more sights' Her voice was shaky and faint, but insistent. Daniel was about to ask how when Janet spoke.

'She might be right. The MRI's I took shows her brain activities back to normal, before this entire escapade. If it was being shot twice with the zat, then *maybe* being shot twice with the zat reversed it.'

'Maybe?'

'I don't know Colonel; this is all pretty new ground. It's all speculation.'

'D'n't matter' Janet patted her friends hand one last time before leaving to check on another patient.

SG1 closed in their ranks surrounding their downed member. She looked small and pale, dwarfed in the hospital bed and swarmed with IV lines and monitors. Her eyes were starting to close again and her mind began drift back to oblivion.

'Carter' the colonels' voice snapped her back to reality. 'You shouldn't have come after us. You could be court martialed, for crying out loud!'

She shook her head 's'worth it' As if she would have left them to die.

'And Colonel, I can safely say the Major will not be going up on charges for this' So enraptured by their teammate, nobody had noticed the General enter 'we can hardly blame her for actions taken while under the influence of an unknown alien phenomena' Sam smiled at her psuedo uncle

''anks' 

'I hope you recover soon Major' He turned to leave, smiling at his now reunited flagship team. 'And gentlemen; I think Doctor Fraiser would appreciate it if her patient was allowed to rest'

With one last bow to Sam Teal'c departed from her side, satisfied his friend would once again be well. Daniel squeezed her hand before following Teal'c. Jack just smiled.

Sam smiled back. She'd be ok. It might take some time more; being able to know the future was unnerving to say the least, but it would come. With her team around her it would be easy.

'Sir' Jack stopped and spun round to face his major again. 'This time, I heard you' and with that Sam slipped into a deep, dreamless slumber.

*~~***~~**~~***~~*

And that's a wrap people. Now wasn't that a nice nauseating ending? Unfortunately complementary sick bags are not provided!

And for my own piece of sappyness can I just say a BIG thank you to anybody who posted a review – it really is easier to write when you know people are actually reading your stuff and bothering to review it, no matter how pants it is.


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